Business as Different
10 Jun 2020 by Andrew Spicer
With New Zealand doing exceptionally well with the almost complete eradication of COVID-19 reported cases, the next stage in life is the move back to what we used to know, and the levels of freedom and choice that we haven't enjoyed for what seems like an age.
But with the return to ‘normal’, will we recognise what was previously BAU (Business as Usual)?
Within our business, we have already seen a significant shift in what is now seen as usual and seeing similar changes within our customers working practices. I wrote in my last blog that I believed that changes in practice and the flexibility to work remotely, from home, would stay with us and why not. It has been proven, for our business at least, that virtual working does not significantly impact the business operations and support of our customers. In fact, it can be of benefit in some cases, with the flexibility of working meaning that the team is actually active across a more significant number of daytime hours, plus no impact of traffic delays, etc.
Some things will always work better in person rather than virtually. Resolving issues can happen quicker when everyone is in the office together, as the conversation occurs spontaneously and people collaborate together sharing experience and help. We need to find a way to make the same spontaneous collaboration happen via the virtual/digital environment so that it becomes transparent if people are co-located or not. This, I believe is something that will happen, given time, we just need to get used to the new BAU and tools that have become the norm by default (Teams, Zoom, etc.).
We plan to continue with the new usual and even when we move to the next level down, our teamwork will remain unchanged, with remote and virtual work being standard, visits to the office when it is necessary or for ease of working when sensible.
It is clear that what is now standard working practice or business as usual (BAU) is very different to what was BAU at the start of this year, so maybe we can agree that BAD (business as different) is Good.